What If?
by R5MBAVWarriors
Summary: The black-and white apprentice sat watching the happy family until his eyes slowly began to close. Just before he drifted off, a final thought struck his mind: What if Brightheart had died instead of me?
1. Prologue

**Prologue**

"She's beautiful, Brightheart."

Brightheart. That name. The name that he loved so dearly. _Brightheart._

The black-and-white apprentice rolled over on his side and rested his chin on his paws. He gazed sadly into the Moonpool, staring at the scars that covered the ginger-and-white she-cat's face. The ear on that side was shredded, and there was only and empty socket where her eye should have been.

And they were all because of him.

He, Swiftpaw, son of Goldenflower and Patchpelt. Former apprentice of ThunderClan. Yes, former. He was dead now. He died the same way Brightheart had got her scars, in the jaws of a dog. And it was all because of him.

It was when Bluestar was still leader, and she had recently learned Tigerclaw was a traitor. Because of that, she believed the whole Clan were traitors. Especially Darkstripe and Longtail, Tigerclaw's closest followers. And because Swiftpaw was Longtail's apprentice, Bluestar refused to make him a warrior. But she did however make Cloudtail a warrior, just because he didn't believe in StarClan. So Swiftpaw, Brightpaw, and Thornpaw were left apprentices. But Swiftpaw, being the impatient hot-headed mousebrain he was, decided that if they wanted to become warriors, they needed to do something to really impress Bluestar. Recently patrols had reported rabbit bones and corpses at Snakerocks, so he said they should go find out who or what was stealing them, and teach them a lesson. Thornpaw and the other two apprentices at the time, Ashpaw and Fernpaw, disagreed, but Brightpaw thought they should, but was wary. So they set off the next day. As they arrived at Snakerocks, Swiftpaw complained and said that there wasn't even anything there, when suddenly four humongous dogs appeared from the old badger set. Steel muscle pressed against their thin fur and their eyes screamed bloody murder. The razor-sharp teeth glistened ominously in the pale sunlight and saliva dripped from their jowls.

Without warning, they lunged. Instinctively, Swiftpaw spun around and dashed up a tree with speed that gave him his name. But poor Brightpaw wasn't as quick. The smallest dog grabbed her by the tail and flung her into the air. She screeched in pain, only to smash into the ground. She jumped to her paws and gave the dog a mighty slash to the nose, splitting it in half. The dog howled, and their fight continued.

But the largest dog had its sights on the black-and-white tom in the tree. It lunged forward and leaped onto the base of the tree, snapping its wicked teeth onto his black-tipped tail. He yowled in rage and pain as the dog dragged him against his will. When he was near enough for the other dogs two dogs to join in, they yelped and howled in delight and one snapped onto Swiftpaw's hindleg. But the other dog quickly ripped the apprentice away from the other two, claiming him as its own. The world was slowly becoming darker, and the sounds around him were becoming muffled. He did however here Brightpaw scream out in rage and felt him being dropped to the ground. Then he heard Brightpaw scream again but this time in pain and terror. Struggling to get over his fading senses, Swiftpaw staggered to his paws to see the giant dog carrying the ginger-and-white she-cat by the head and blood spurting from its jaws. Fiery hatred burned inside him and he charged forward, dashing past the other three dogs. He took a flying leap and landed on the dog's back and sinking his claws into its fur, then taking its right ear into a vice grip. Before he knew it, he was flying through the air and smashing into the boulders. He heard his spine crack, and immediately his world grew ten times darker. The last thing he heard was his own voice saying, "I'm sorry Brightpaw."

The black-and-white apprentice felt tears running down his face as he relived his death. They dripped from his whiskers, landing in the starry pool. He gazed down at his one and only love, reveling over her first kit with her mate Cloudtail.

He sat watching the happy family until his eyes slowly began to close. Just before he drifted off, a final thought struck his mind:

What if Brightheart had died instead of me?


	2. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1**

"Cinderpelt! Cinderpelt, he's waking up!"

A tom's voice echoed faintly in the apprentice's ears. He struggled to open his eyes, and was surprised to see a fiery ginger tom bending over him. Soon he was joined by a fluffy gray she-cat with big blue eyes.

"Swiftpaw, can you hear me?" the she-cat meowed. She smelled strongly of herbs.

The black-and-white apprentice, using a great amount of strength, mumbled, "Where am I? What happened?"

The ginger tom replied, "The medicine cat's den. You were attacked by dogs."

_Dogs._

Suddenly memories came flooding back, of Tigerclaw's treachery, Cloudtail's warrior ceremony, trekking out to find the prey-stealers, fighting evil, monstrous creatures. But there was someone else, someone he cared deeply about, but he couldn't quite place her name. Then it hit him.

"Where's Brightpaw?" he wailed, trying to force his weak legs to stand up.

The ginger tom's emerald green eyes softened. "Easy, tiger. Brightpaw…she's in a better place now."

Swiftpaw's yellow eyes widened. "What do you mean, _in a better place_? Is she _dead_?!"

The two cats exchanged looks. Swiftpaw's heart pounded in his chest. "She is isn't she!"

The gray she-cat's eyes glowed in sympathy and grief. She looked up at the ginger tom. "Fireheart, maybe you should go get Goldenflower." Fireheart nodded and bounded out of the den.

Now left alone in the den with the she-cat, Swiftpaw tried to register the fact that his best friend was gone forever. Trying to stay strong, he meowed, "She's gone." Looking up at the medicine cat, he asked softly. "How long was I out?"

Cinderpelt began examining his wounds. "A couple of days. We weren't sure you were going to survive."

There was a moment of silence then the apprentice murmured, "I guess Brightpaw's already been buried then." The older cat nodded. "Will you show me where she is?" he asked.

Cinderpelt stepped back, sighing sympathetically. "Swiftpaw…"

"Please," he mewed, sounding like a kit.

The medicine cat flattened her ears. "I suppose. Let me finish redoing the poultices on your wounds first."

When she finished, the two cats padded out of Cinderpelt's den. When she saw Fireheart approaching with Goldenflower beside him, the fluffy gray she-cat padded up to them and whispered in Fireheart's ear, then she started heading towards the camp entrance. The ginger tom meowed something to Goldenflower, and she nodded. Swiftpaw watched them for a moment, then followed Cinderpelt out of camp.

The trekked through the forest, jumping at every sound, afraid a huge dog would appear and rip them to shreds. They walked for awhile, and Swiftpaw's wounds began to hurt. He had lost the tip of his tail, and there were cobwebs wrapped around it. There was also a gash across his left shoulder and his hip felt stiff. He soon began limping.

Cinderpelt looked over at him with worry. "Are you okay? We can go back if we need to. The dogs gave you quite a beating."

Swiftpaw shook his head stubbornly. He would see Brightpaw no matter what.

The rest of the journey was in silence. A thin drizzle had begun to fall when they reached ThunderClan's burial grounds. The apprentice gazed sadly at the graves of his fallen Clanmates, pausing when he arrived at a mound of dirt that had a purple violet laid over the top of it. "Patchpelt," he murmured, when Cinderpelt called his name.

She was standing beside a smaller mound of dirt, with several flowers laying on it. "Brightpaw's," Cinderpelt murmured as Swiftpaw approached. He stared at it, his heart aching. Turning his somber gaze to the medicine cat, he meowed, "Thank you for bringing me here. You may go back to the Clan now; I can find my way back."

Cinderpelt paused, then turned and padded away from the grieving apprentice.

He sat down with his head bowed, tears falling down his face. "Oh, Brightpaw," he meowed after awhile, "why couldn't it have been me?"

Suddenly, he felt warmth wrap around him, despite the rain. Then, he heard a voice.

"Do not grieve, my dear friend."

Swiftpaw jumped to his paws, ignoring the screaming pain in his hindleg. "Brightpaw?" he mewed. "Is that you?"

A faint ginger-and-white shape appeared in front of him. "It is, Swiftpaw."

His eyes widened in happiness. "Brightpaw!" He limped forward and tried to nuzzle up against her, but he fell right through her ghostly body. She stepped back and watched him with sad eyes and he struggled back to his paws.

Tears ran down his face faster as Swiftpaw asked, "W-why can't I touch you?"

"I am a member of StarClan now. You cannot physically interact with me like you could when I was alive."

"Oh," the black-and-white apprentice replied, looking smaller than ever with the rain flattening his fur to his body.

Brightpaw padded forward and meowed, "Don't grieve for me anymore, Swiftpaw. I will always be in your heart." With that, she began to fade.

Swiftpaw's mouth gaped in dismay. "No! Brightpaw, don't leave!"

"Goodbye, Swiftpaw."

The ginger-and-white she-cat disappeared completely, but her scent still lingered.

"No!" Swiftpaw cried, collapsing where his best friend once stood, sobbing. "I love you."

Brightpaw's scent wreathed around him, and he heard her voice once more, saying, "I love you, too," before all traces off her vanished.

After laying there for the next few heartbeats, Swiftpaw got to his paws, sniffling. He padded back to the forest, searching for the perfect flower. Finally, he found a yellow daffodil, Brightpaw's favorite. He picked it with his teeth, then walked back to her grave. He placed the flower right in the middle, then began walking back towards camp, following the faint scent trail he and Cinderpelt had left earlier. His hindleg burned like fire, and he had it lifted high off the ground. Eventually the scent trail disappeared, but he was now back in the forest and could easily get back to camp.

Why couldn't have Brightpaw lived? he asked himself for what seemed like the millionth time. No longer paying attention to where he was going, Swiftpaw tripped. Rising to his paws, the apprentice turned to see what had caused him to fall. When he saw what it was, he let out a scream.


	3. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

Before Swiftpaw lay the limp body of Brindleface. The queen's eyes were wide and glazed, and her front claws were unsheathed.

"B-Brindleface?" he murmured, padded forwards and nudging her body. He sniffed around her body until he found a deep cut at the back of her throat. He gasped, catching the scent of Tigerstar.

"Of course," he muttered. Before he could do anything else, Fireheart bounded up to him.

"Swiftpaw! I heard you scream, what happened?" Then he caught sight of Brindleface. "Oh no."

Swiftpaw nodded. "I was coming back from the burial grounds when I sorta…tripped over her." He bowed his head shamefully.

Fireheart shook his head. "It's alright. Now let's get her back to camp."

Together, the two toms carried Brindleface the short distance to the camp. When they saw her, the Clan went crazy with questions.

"Quiet!" Fireheart quickly silenced them. "I will speak to Bluestar about this. Meanwhile, Brindleface will go to Cinderpelt for inspection."

The fiery ginger tom took the deceased queen to the medicine cat then headed into their leader's den.

Now that Swiftpaw was alone, everyone seemed to notice him.

"Guys, look! Swiftpaw's awake!" Thornpaw suddenly yowled. Everyone rushed up to him.

"Swiftpaw, we were so worried you weren't gonna make it!" Brackenfur meowed.

"Yep, that's my son, definitely a fighter," Goldenflower boasted.

"You're so brave!" tiny Tawnykit mewled.

Suddenly, a yowl echoed across the clearing. "What's going on here?"

The clearing fell silent. Swiftpaw turned his head to see a patrol of Darkstripe, Longtail, Sandstorm, and Fernpaw entering camp. Darkstripe's piercing yellow gaze scanned the clearing as he strutted across the clearing to speak with Whitestorm.

"What's going on?" the dark warrior asked.

Whitestorm stood tall, answering with, "Swiftpaw has finally woken up. But I'm sorry to say that Brindleface had died."

Darkstripe nodded, while Fernpaw, who had overheard, wailed, "Brindleface!" Her brother, Ashpaw, padded up to her and licked her head soothingly as she cried into his chest.

A thoughtful frown was placed on Darkstripe's face. "Swiftpaw is awake?" Whitestorm nodded, flicking his tail in the apprentice's direction. Every cat turned and stared at him, wondering what Darkstripe would do.

Feeling quite awkward being the center of attention, Swiftpaw shuffled his paws and mumbled, "Um, hi."

After staring at him for a moment, Darkstripe turned away. "Very well," then padded into the warriors den.

Swiftpaw released a breath he hadn't realized he had been holding, then brought himself to his paws, suddenly remembering the horrible pain in his hindleg. Grimacing, he limped back to Cinderpelt's den.

As he approached, however, he stopped short as he heard voices from inside. "Swiftpaw should _not _have lived. Any cat who puts himself in that much danger-not to mention a Clanmate in danger, also-should die and go to the Dark Forest."

The apprentice flattened his ears in dismay as he recognized Bluestar's voice.

He heard Cinderpelt's voice as she answered, "I agree that what he did was foolish, yes, but he does not deserve _die_. No cat does."

Bluestar's voice hardened. "It seems I cannot trust my medicine cat either. StarClan has betrayed me!" With that, Swiftpaw heard pawsteps coming closer. He gasped and quickly dived into the shelter of a patch of ferns. Bluestar stormed out of the den, right past his nose, back to her den.

Waiting until she had left, Swiftpaw reappeared from the ferns and padded softly into the medicine cat's den. Cinderpelt was now busy examining Brindleface's body. She looked up as he walked in, then quickly went back to work. "Yes, Swiftpaw?"

"I…um…my leg…"

"You heard what she said didn't you?" Cinderpelt interrupted, taking him by surprise.

Swiftpaw nodded, sadness filling his gaze. "Do I really deserve to die?"

"No!" The medicine cat's sharp reply caught him off guard. "You do _not _deserve to die! Bluestar's insane! She doesn't know what she's talking about."

Swiftpaw studied his paws. "You're just saying that."

"No, I'm not. I promise you."

Suddenly he burst into tears. "Yes you are! Bluestar's right, I should've died! It was stupid getting myself into trouble like that, and now Brightpaw's dead! It's all my fault!"

Cinderpelt used a forepaw to lift up his chin so she could stare into his eyes. "Don't think like that, Swiftpaw! It's not your fault. If anything, it's Bluestar's fault. She should've made you, Brightpaw, and Thornpaw warriors like Cloudtail. Now come here." She snuggled him up against her fluffy gray chest. "I never want to hear you say those kind of things again. Don't even think them." Then she stepped back. "Why did you come anyways?"

Swiftpaw shook the tears from his face and flicked his tail to his leg. "My hindleg. It hurts, _really _bad."

Cinderpelt tilted her head. "Wow, that's surprising, considering you've been walking on it all day in the pouring rain! Not. Okay, let me look at it."

Swiftpaw laughed at the medicine cat's sarcasm, then laid down so she could inspect his leg.

After awhile, she meowed, "You must've sprained it. Just make sure to stay off of it and _get some rest_." Emphasizing the last part, she patted him gently on the head.

He purred. "Thanks Cinderpelt." He headed for the entrance, then stopped. "Oh, and Cinderpelt, before I leave, I want to tell you something. About Brindleface."

Cinderpelt nodded, listening intently to any clues about the she-cat's death.

"Well, when I found her, I was sniffing around in her fur when I found a gash at the back of her neck, and it smelled of Tigerstar."

The gray she-cat's ears pricked. "Tigerstar, that's not surprising. But why would he kill her? She never did anything to him." It seemed like she was just talking to herself, then remembered Swiftpaw was there. "Oh! Well, if you don't need anything else, you can go rest in your nest."

The apprentice nodded, about to exit the den when Fireheart's ginger head appeared and he walked in. "Any news about Brindleface?"

Cinderpelt nodded. "Actually, yes. Swiftpaw tell him."

Fireheart, looking a bit surprised, turned to Swiftpaw. The young tom swallowed then meowed, "I was looking at her body when I found a gash at the back of her neck. And Tigerstar's scent lingered on her fur."

The deputy growled. "Tigerstar, of course. He probably used her to give the dogs a taste of cat blood."

_Well, they sure got a lot when Brightpaw and I fought them, _Swiftpaw thought, but didn't dare say it aloud.

Cinderpelt nodded, then glanced at Swiftpaw. "I think you should leave now. We need to discuss this is private."

The apprentice nodded, then left the den and limped towards his own. If the sun was out it would probably be a little bit past sunhigh, but Swiftpaw was exhausted. He padded into the apprentices den and curled up in his nest, feeling the pain in his leg fade as he closed his eyes. He soon fell into a deep and peaceful sleep.


	4. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

A sharp pain awoke Swiftpaw. He blinked open his eyes to see his injured hindleg stretched out at an odd angle, obviously causing him to wake up. He grunted and stood up, knowing that trying to pull it back up beside him would just cause even more pain.

Swiftpaw knew he would be unable to fall back asleep, so he limped out of the apprentices den, careful to avoid Thornpaw who was sleeping soundly near the entrance.

As he padded out into the clearing, he realized dawn was just breaking. It was a warm morning, and a cool breeze blew back Swiftpaw's whiskers. He felt completely at ease.

"Up so early?" Ashpaw's mew nearly scared him out of his fur. The young gray tom stifled a purr of amusement as Swiftpaw recovered from the scare.

"Don't scare me like that!" he exclaimed, or at least as loud as he could without waking anyone. He shook out his fur, giving his chest fur an embarrassed lick, then looked back up at Ashpaw. "What are you doing up anyways?"

Ashpaw shrugged. "I couldn't go to sleep after the vigil, so I just stayed out here, thinking."

Swiftpaw tilted his head. "Vigil?" Suddenly he remembered. "Fox-dung! I slept through Brindleface's vigil!"

The gray tom shook his head. "It's fine. Fireheart said to let you sleep."

Swiftpaw frowned. _That doesn't make me feel any better about it, _he thought, ashamed.

The two toms sat in silence for awhile until cats began waking up. By then, Swiftpaw's stomach began grumbling, so he looked over at Ashpaw and mewed, "I'm gonna get some fresh-kill." The younger apprentice nodded as he limped away.

There was a vast selection of prey, although there wouldn't be for long, considering leaf-fall was nearing. Swiftpaw chose a plump squirrel and settled down a few foxlengths away. The delicious scent reminded him of how famished he really was. He dug into the prey, devouring it a few bites. Then he sat up and began grooming his black-and-white fur.

When he finished, most of the Clan was awake. Fireheart padded out of Bluestar's den with Whitestorm following and leaped onto the Highrock. "Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather beneath the Highrock for a Clan meeting!"

Automatically, the cats began to assemble around Swiftpaw. Cinderpelt limped out of her den to watch.

When every cat was settled, Fireheart announced, "I believe we are all aware that the creatures stealing our prey are dogs? Is that correct, Swiftpaw?"

Nervous, the apprentice answered, "Yes sir, four of them. They're humongous, three times the size of a badger, with long, razor-sharp teeth and bright, evil eyes hungry for blood."

Several cats gasped at Swiftpaw's description. Swiftpaw gulped.

The fiery ginger tom atop the Highrock nodded. "We need a plan to get rid of them."

Brackenfur flattened his ears. "How are we supposed to defeat monsters like that?"

Fireheart lifted his chin. "We are ThunderClan! Nothing can defeat us!"

The Clan cheered in agreement, then quickly quieted down as the deputy waved his tail. "I'd like the senior warriors to come with me to compose a plan."

Fireheart leaped down from the Highrock and headed into Bluestar's den, Dustpelt, Sandstorm, Whitestorm, Mousefur, and Graystripe close behind.

When they were gone, several cats rushed up to Swiftpaw.

"Were the dogs really that huge?" Fernpaw asked fearfully. Swiftpaw nodded.

"Don't worry, I'll protect you," Ashpaw meowed, licking his sister's ear.

"I could've easily defeated those dogs," Cloudtail boasted.

Thornpaw growled. "Shut up, Cloudtail. Just because you're a warrior doesn't mean you're better than anyone else."

The snowy white warrior flattened his ears and stalked away.

Every cat seemed to have a question, and Swiftpaw took the time to answer each one. Finally, Goldenflower shooed them away and brought him back to the nursery with her. Inside, Bramblekit and Tawnykit were playing with Willowpelt's kits. They were obviously playing a roleplaying game, because Bramblekit and Rainkit were currently arguing over who would be Swiftpaw.

"I wanna be Swiftpaw!" Rainkit mewled.

Bramblekit shook his head. "_I'm _Swiftpaw. I'm related to him, so I get to be him."

"That's not _fair_!" the small gray kit wailed.

Swiftpaw chuckled as he limped in. "Well, how about we let Sootkit be me? You two get to be mean, ferocious dogs."

The two kits glanced at each other and nodded, liking the idea. Sorrelkit was Brightpaw and along with Brambkekit and Rainkit, Tanwykit was a dog. Meanwhile, Snowkit, Speckletail's kit, sat in the corner chasing insects.

Willowpelt twitched her ears. "Why don't you kits go outside and play?" The kits quickly charged towards the entrance, but Swiftpaw stopped Bramblekit with his tail.

"Why don't you go ask Snowkit if he wants to play, too? After all, there were four dogs," he meowed softly to his half-brother. Bramblekit nodded and bounded up to the little white kit. "Hey Snowkit! Wanna play Swiftpaw and the Dogs with us?" Snowkit just ignored him and continued trying to catch the beetle he was watching.

Hurt, Bramblekit flattened his ears and walked away, but quickly cheered up as he ran outside to play "Swiftpaw and the Dogs" with the others.

Swiftpaw tilted his head at how odd that had been, but Willowpelt drew his attention away from it.

"So you're pretty popular now?"

Swiftpaw grinned. "I guess."

Goldenflower flicked his ear with her tail. "Not many cats have the bravery to do what you did, going out to fight an unknown creature."

Speckletail snorted. "Nor the stupidity."

Willowpelt growled. "Get out of here, Speckletail. No one needs your sassy comments."

The dark tabby she-cat glowered at her, then stalked out of the nursery.

When she had left, Goldenflower looked over at Swiftpaw apologetically. "Don't mind Speckletail. She's always like that."

Swiftpaw shrugged. "It's alright."

Suddenly, a yowl spread across the clearing.

"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather beneath the Highrock for a Clan meeting!" It was Fireheart, probably preparing to tell the Clan about the plan.

Swiftpaw limped out of the nursery, along with Willowpelt and Goldenflower. He stayed near the back of the crowd with the queens as Fireheart made his announcement.

"The senior warriors and I have decided on a plan," the deputy began. "I first want to say that Tigerstar has been feeding the dogs."

Yowls of anger broke out in the clearing, and when he could make himself be heard again, Fireheart continued.

"Our night patrol reported that he laid out a trail of rabbits leading to our camp. We must evacuate the camp to stay safe."

"Where will we go?" Willowpelt asked fearfully.

"We shall go to Sunningrocks. When we arrive, all of you must climb high into trees so the dogs will think they've lost you if they follow your trail."

"What will we do about the pack?" Darkstripe demanded.

The fiery tom flicked his tail. "I was just getting to that. We'll steal Tigerstar's trail. The dogs will still be lead to our camp, just to find us waiting to lead them away—to the gorge."

Swiftpaw had heard about the gorge. It was a pair of sheer cliffs not far from Fourtrees with a raging river surging at the bottom, and sharp rocks just under the surface. If anything fell in, it would surely drown.

"I'll bring some of the fastest cats with me; Sandstorm, Longtail, Mousefur, Graystripe, and—" He paused and gazed at Swiftpaw for a moment, obviously about to pick him, then remembered the apprentice's injuries. "That's it. All of you gather at the entrance of camp, and prepare to leave for Sunningrocks. "I will go get Bluestar, and—"

"Wait!" Fernpaw's meow interrupted the deputy, and a few cats gasped, but Fireheart silenced them.

"We want to join the patrol," Ashpaw explained, waving his tail to his sister.

Fireheart tilted his head. "I'm not sure that's a good idea."

"Brindleface was our mother, we must avenge her," Fernpaw's fierce reply surprised him a bit.

"Well…"

"Let them go," Whitestorm meowed. "Their rage will make them fearless. They're fast, too. They'll make it."

Fireheart dipped his head. "Very well. You two can come." With that, he leaped down from the Highrock, padding into Bluestar's den.

Soon, everyone was gathered by the camp entrance, Bluestar at the lead with Whitestorm beside her. The chosen cats stood in a separate group to the side, Fireheart explaining the plan in more detail. Then, the Clan began heading out, the dog patrol splitting up to proceed with plan. Mousefur hid herself in some ferns right up against the entrance. Swiftpaw glanced at her, locking gazes with her for a moment, before they each gave a tiny nod. It was like a silent farewell, and good luck. This could be the last time they saw each other.

Swiftpaw found it hard to stay with the group, his leg catching every now and then. "Frostfur!" he cried, as she was the cat at the very back. She tensed, looking back, only to find it was just him. She waited for a moment, until he had caught up. She let him lean on her, and Swiftpaw found it much easier to walk.

When the group arrived at Sunningrocks, they each scampered up the surrounding trees. The black-and-white apprentice looked up at a looming pine tree in dismay. How was he supposed to climb? Then he heard Cinderpelt's voice saying his name.

"Swiftpaw! Over here." The medicine cat with hidden in a gap between to rocks, only visable by the gleam of her bright blue eyes. She couldn't climb either because of her crippled leg, so that was her best option. Swiftpaw limped over and crawled in with her, until they were side-by-side looking out the gap.

All the cats could do was wait. It seemed like moons before anything happened. A faraway bark met their ears, the thud of heavy paws, then a few moments later, a shriek.

"That sounded like Fireheart!" Swiftpaw whispered.

Cinderpelt nodded, her eyes wide with fear.

Then, with a _thump, _Bluestar landed on the ground about a foxlength from the hole. Cinderpelt flattened her ears and whisper-yelled, "Bluestar! What in StarClan's name are you _doing_?!"

The blue-gray she-cat looked over towards the gap. "Saving my deputy." With that, she sped off.


	5. Chapter 4

**Sorry for late update, I've had lots of things going on and haven't really had time to work on this, plus a bit of writer's block. Hopefully I can start getting chapters in a little faster though. Well, here's chapter three, enjoy!**

* * *

**Chapter 4**

"Bluestar, no!"

Swiftpaw couldn't help but cry out to his leader as she dashed away. Cinderpelt hissed and slapped a paw over his mouth, but glanced worriedly in the direction the blue-gray she-cat had disappeared in.

The black-and-white tom flattened his ears, then straightened them back up again to listen for any signals that ThunderClan was winning. There was an angry yowl, then a yelp from one of the dogs. There was a fight, somewhere by the gorge.

Swiftpaw felt utterly useless. Somewhere up there, someone needed help. What good was he anyways? Bluestar already said he deserved to die.

He was preparing to dash out into the open when an earsplitting screech filled the air, chilling him to the bone.

"_Bluestar_!"

A faint splash followed, then all was silent.

Another splash.

Silence.

The two cats glanced at each other, fear reflected in their eyes. The fur along Swiftpaw's back began to rise, and he dug his claws into the ground.

It seemed like seasons before the sound of pawsteps met their ears. They braced themselves for the dogs, but paused as they realized how light and slow these pawsteps sounded. Finally, the fiery ginger head of Fireheart appeared, his head drooping. Pricking his ears, Swiftpaw crawled of the hole, followed by Cinderpelt. Cats began dropping down from the trees, the elders complaining about how they were too old for this.

Every cat was silent as the rest of the patrol came into view, desperate to see if all their Clanmates made it out alive. Sandstorm came first, then Graystripe, then Mousefur and Longtail. Fernpaw and Ashpaw were close behind, and after them came…Mistyfoot and Stonefur?

The two RiverClan cats plodded forward, their eyes somber. Many cats hissed and went into a defensive position, then freezing at they realized what lay upon their backs.

The limp blue-gray body of ThunderClan's leader rested on the two siblings, her brilliant blue eyes glazed and lifeless.

Many cats were speechless, until one cat murmured, obviously horrified, "Bluestar is dead."

Wails of grief erupted from the Clan, their sorrow for the loss of their leader clear. Swiftpaw wasn't sure what to think. He knew he should grieve for the old cat, but yet this was the same cat who had told Cinderpelt he should've died. So instead he just stood at the back of crowd, studying his paws.

Finally, ThunderClan quieted down as Fireheart prepared to speak.

"Yes, it is true. Bluestar has died, but she died honorably, saving me from the jaws of the lead dog."

Darkstripe's eyes narrowed as he glared at the RiverClan cats in disgust. "Then what are _they _doing here?"

Fireheart glanced back at them. "Mistyfoot and Stonefur helped me drag Bluestar from the gorge when she fell in."

Stonefur nodded and meowed, "Bluestar was our mother."

There were several shocked gasps from the assembled cats. Smallear's voice rumbled from somewhere in the back, "Bluestar said her kits were kidnapped."

Accusing murmurs rose from the cats, until Fireheart silenced them. "Bluestar did what she did to protect ThunderClan. It doesn't matter anymore, as it cannot be changed. Now we should all give Bluestar a proper vigil and give her the respect she deserves. She was a wonderful leader."

"What about the dogs?" Goldenflower asked fearfully as she drew Bramblekit and Tawnykit closer with her tail.

Fireheart flicked his ears. "The lead dog fell in after Bluestar, but the rest fled, hopefully far from here."

No cat spoke after that, just gathered close to their fallen leader's body as the two RiverClan cats laid her gently on the ground. Swiftpaw crouched beside Bluestar's head, murmuring softly in her ear.

"I forgive you, Bluestar. I know you didn't mean what you said. The Tigerstar thing really must have shaken you." Although he knew the she-cat couldn't actually hear him, Swiftpaw knew she was listening from StarClan. Then, he backed away and let Whitestorm take his place as he shifted uncomfortably behind him. The snowy white warrior more than likely had many things to say to her, as Bluestar was his aunt.

While the Clan sat vigil, it was slowly but gradually getting darker as the sun fell behind the mountains. Swiftpaw was getting sleepy, as he had woke before the sun had even rose and many events had taken place since then. His jaws stretched open in a yawn, and Cinderpelt padded over to him.

"Tired?" Swiftpaw nodded, feeling his eyelids beginning to droop. Cinderpelt hesitated for a moment, then limped over to the hunched body of Fireheart.

"Excuse me, Fireheart?" The bright ginger tom turned his attention to the medicine cat, his eyes glazed with grief. "Fireheart, maybe we should take Bluestar back to camp for the vigil? Cats are getting tired, and we can't stay at Sunningrocks all night."

The deputy looked like he was about protest, but obviously thought better of it as he rose to his paws and mewed, "Very well."

Turning to the distraught Clan, Fireheart meowed, "It is time to take Bluestar to camp. She deserves of proper vigil in her home."

Murmuring in agreement and relief, ThunderClan stood up and shook out their pelts. Goldenflower unwillingly roused her kits from their slumber, causing them to mew with protest.

When every cat was ready to head out, the group began towards the ThunderClan camp. Fireheart was in the lead, his fiery ginger fur gleaming in the moonlight. As Swiftpaw cast his gaze to look up at the glowing white circle, he remembered with a jolt that the Gathering was only a few days away.

_I doubt I'll get to go anyways, because of my stupid leg, _he thought angrily.

He limped alongside Cinderpelt while she conversed with Fireheart. Zoning them out, he began daydreaming. Younger versions of Swiftpaw and Brightpaw rolled and tumbled in a grassy clearing, giggling and mewling all the while. Finally, they both fell over on their backs and gazed up at the sky.

Swiftpaw purred at the memory; it was the time when he and Brightpaw had snuck out of camp as kits. They got into a heap of trouble when they were found, but it had been worth it.

Finally, after what seemed like moons of walking, the Clan arrived at camp. Mistyfoot and Stonefur plodded behind Fireheart and gently laid their mother's body in the center of the clearing. They crouched down and pressed their noses into Bluestar's fur, along with the deputy and Whitestorm. The rest of the cats retired to their dens.

Swiftpaw limped to the apprentices den, yawning. Not even looking to see if anyone else was present, he curled up in his nest, falling asleep instantly.


	6. Chapter 5

What If…?

Chapter 5

"Hey, Swiftpaw. Wake up. Firestar's called a meeting."

Blinking open his yellow eyes, Swiftpaw blearily raised his head. "Okay, Goldenflower. I'll be there in a minute."

As his vision cleared, the tom saw that the cat was actually Fernpaw, but he didn't bother correcting himself. Rising to his paws, he shook his black-and-white pelt free of any debris, then began limping towards the entrance of the apprentices den. He was about to pad out into the clearing when suddenly he stopped.

_Did Fernpaw just say Fire_star_? _he wondered confusedly. Shaking his head, he dismissed it as just hearing her unclearly. He walked out into the sunlight, blinking against the bright rays. Although the sun shining high in the sky, there was a chill in the air, reminding Swiftpaw that leaf-bare was not far.

However, when he saw the elders waiting beside the camp entrance with tired faces and saw the fiery ginger tom atop the Highrock, memories came flooding back of the dogs, and Bluestar's death. Firestar must have recently returned from receiving his nine lives, and it was time to announce a new deputy.

Swiftpaw limped over to sit by Cinderpelt outside the medicine cat's den. The gray she-cat merely glanced at him before turning her full attention to Firestar.

"Cats of ThunderClan," the tom began, "the time has come to appoint a new deputy. I say these words before the body of Bluestar so she may hear and approve my choice. Whitestorm will be the next deputy of ThunderClan."

Not many were surprised, as the white warrior was a skilled hunter and fighter. Cats also naturally obeyed his orders when he gave them, which was rarely, as he was a blood relative of Bluestar herself.

"Whitestorm! Whitestorm!" the Clan cheered. Swiftpaw happily cheered along with them, although he was slightly surprised that Graystripe hadn't been chosen. Every cat knew that Firestar and Graystripe were best friends, and Swiftpaw could tell a few cats shared his shock. However, the dark gray tom didn't seem to mind, as he was currently congratulating Whitestorm on his deputyship.

When the assembled cats had scattered to their duties, the elders padded up to the body of Bluestar, which Swiftpaw had just noticed was still in the center of the clearing. Smallear and Dappletail scooped her up on their backs, while One-eye followed close behind.

Swiftpaw watched until the tip of One-eye's tail disappeared in the ferns, then padded towards the fresh-kill pile. Choosing a plump mouse, he settled down in a small patch of sunlight that was just big enough for him. As he took the first bite of the tasty animal, his thoughts began to drift to his deceased friend.

_I wonder what Brightpaw's doing right now? I wonder if she's thinking about me, _he thought sadly. _Is she—_

"Hawk!" A fearful cry rang through the clearing, and Swiftpaw leaped to his paws. Turning his gaze to the sky, he saw a tiny dot circling in the sky, gradually growing bigger as it drew closer.

Paralyzed, he sat staring at it, until some cat screamed, "Swiftpaw! Get out of the way!" Suddenly able to move, he scrambled to his paws and dashed to the nearest den, which happened to be the nursery. Terrified, he huddled up against Goldenflower with the kits between them, and he pressed his nose into her shoulder.

"I think its going for the mouse you left," his mother reported quietly. Turning his head, he peered outside, then heard a distressed whisper.

"Snowkit! Where's Snowkit?" He looked over and saw Speckletail thoroughly searching the nursery, then stop. "He's not in here!" she whisper-wailed.

Flattening his ears, he glanced outside again, then paused as he saw a small white shape jump into the air. Gasping, he tensed his muscles. "There he is!" he murmured.

Goldenflower must have guessed what he was about to do, and she wrapped her tail around him protectively. "No, don't," she warned.

Swiftpaw shook off his mother's tail and stood up. Ignoring his mother's pleading call and Speckletail's "Snowkit!" as she realized what was happening, he shot out into the clearing, the burning pain in his leg the last thing on his mind at the moment. He dashed up to the small kit, meowing, "Snowkit, c'mon! We gotta get back to the nursery, quick!" The kit ignored him, and he growled. "Come on!" When Snowkit ignored him once more, he sighed and picked the kit up by his scruff and began making his way back to the nursery.

Suddenly he heard an enraged shriek. Looking up, he saw the evil bird only tail-lengths above him, diving towards him with talons outstretched. Knowing he had no chance running, he dropped the kit between his front legs and bared his teeth at the hawk.

"Swiftpaw! Get out of there!" Ashpaw cried from the apprentices den.

"Never!" he hissed, bracing himself for the attack. Just before it reached him, the hawk swooped upwards, catching him on the ear with one of its talons. He cringed, feeling the blood running down his fur, but stood his ground. The bird dived at him again, and Swiftpaw lashed out with an unsheathed paw.

Screeching, the hawk tilted to the right, blowing past him. As it flew past, it smacked him under the chin with a wing, bowling him over. Winded, the tom struggled to stay conscious. He opened one eye, seeing Firestar clawing at the hawk's foot, Snowkit in its other. The white kit cried in pain as its talons dug into his skin, and Swiftpaw attempted lifting himself to his paws, but failed. As he watched, the hawk struck out with its foot, slicing Firestar's cheek. The fiery tom fell backwards, shaking his head in pain. While he was distracted, the hawk rose into the air, beating its powerful wings. As it rose higher, it began turning towards Highstones. Finally, it took off, Snowkit with it. After a few moments, they were gone.

There was a heavy silence in the clearing that seemed to last for moons before Speckletail came racing out of the nursery, stumbling as she went. "Snowkit! No!"

As if that was a cue, cats began padding out of the dens, murmuring softly to themselves. They watched quietly as Speckletail flung herself at the place where her son had stood only moments before.

"No…" she wailed. Suddenly, she jumped up and whipped her head towards Swiftpaw. "You!" She stalked up to him and shoved her nose in his face. "You could've saved my son! Instead, you just sat here while the hawk carried him away!"

"Now, no need to get hasty. It was nobody's fault," Firestar meowed, padding up to her.

Ignoring the ginger tom, Speckletail hissed. "Well? What do you have to say for yourself?"

Infuriated, Swiftpaw brought himself to his paws. "What do I have to say for myself? _What do I have to say for myself_? Excuse me, but who ran out of the nursery and fought the hawk, trying to save your son? Not you, that's for sure. It was _me_!"

"But you didn't save him!" Speckletail snarled.

"But I _tried_! I could've just stayed in there and let him get carried away, but no! I ran out, injury and all, and tried to protect your son! I did the best I could!"

"Well, your best wasn't enough!"

At that, the apprentice hissed and unsheathed his claws, prepared to slash the old queen across the nose, when Firestar padded up to him and murmured, "Don't. It's not worth it." Then, he turned to Speckletail.

"Speckletail, I know you are grieving, but do not take it out on Swiftpaw. It was Snowkit's destiny."

Glaring at her leader, the tabby she-cat whipped around and bounded into the nursery.

When she was gone, Goldenflower dashed up to Swiftpaw, covering his face with licks. "Swiftpaw! Are you alright? Don't ever do anything like that again!"

The black-and-white apprentice pulled away. "Just leave me alone." With that, he stalked into the apprentices den. As he curled up in his nest, he heard Firestar say quietly, probably talking to Goldenflower, "He's just feeling guilty. He'll get over it eventually."

Swiftpaw hissed. _Yeah, I'm sure gonna get over this one, Firestar! _he thought sarcastically. _Just like I'll get over Brightpaw. _Then he chuckled quietly.

"Like that'll ever happen," he murmured. "Oh, Brightpaw, I miss you."

As he lay there, he suddenly felt a warm shape wrap around him and Brightpaw's scent drifted to his nose. Purring, he snuggled deeper into the moss of his nest.


	7. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather beneath the Highrock for a Clan meeting!"

Firestar's call jolted Swiftpaw from his sleep. Tilting his head, he rose to his paws. He didn't remember falling asleep. Shrugging it off, he stepped out of the apprentices den. He padded over to the edge of the clearing, and began giving himself a quick grooming.

He was only halfway done when Firestar meowed, "It is time for two apprentices to become warriors."

Startled, he looked up, seeing that Thornpaw was standing in front of the Highrock, and his head was turned and he was looking at Swiftpaw. Looking around, he noticed everyone else was looking at him, and he quickly caught on.

_I'm becoming a warrior!_ Standing up he bounded up next to Thornpaw, who touched his should briefly with his tail tip, then looked back up at Firestar, who had jumped down from the Highrock and was now standing in front of them.

"I, Firestar, leader of ThunderClan, call upon my warrior ancestors to look down on these apprentices. They have trained hard to understand the ways of your noble code, and I commend them to you warriors in their turn.

"Thornpaw, Swiftpaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code and to protect and defend your Clan, even at the cost of your life?"

The golden tom calmly replied, "I do."

Swiftpaw couldn't help but fidget. It was finally happening! "I do!" he meowed happily.

Firestar grinned. "Then by the powers of StarClan, I give you your warrior names. Thornpaw, from this moment on you will be known as Thornclaw. StarClan honors your strength and intelligence, and we welcome you as a full warrior of ThunderClan."

Thornclaw dipped his head, and Firestar rested his head atop it. Thornclaw then licked the leader's shoulder, then stepped back.

Afterwards, Firestar turned to Swiftpaw. The two locked eyes for a moment, then the fiery tom began speaking.

"Swiftpaw, you have proved your worth to ThunderClan many times over. From this moment on, you will be known as Swiftfoot. StarClan honors your speed and courage, and we welcome you as a full warrior of ThunderClan."

_Swiftfoot, it's perfect! _Firestar leaned forward and placed his head on his head, as he had done to Thornclaw. Swiftfoot purred and licked his shoulder, then stepped back and joined Thornclaw.

"If Brightpaw was here, I would name her Brightheart," Firestar announced. Every cat briefly dipped their heads in respect for the fallen apprentice, and Thornclaw glanced over at Swiftfoot.

"She would've loved that name," he meowed quietly. Swiftfoot nodded, remembering Brightpaw was Thornclaw's littermate.

After a moment, the Clan began cheering. "Thornclaw! Swiftfoot! Thornclaw! Swiftfoot!"

When the noise had died down, Firestar continued. "You two will sit vigil tonight."

The two toms dipped their heads, then took their places in front of the camp entrance. Swiftfoot let put a small purr, proud of his new name.

Then, his purr died. Brightpaw should be here with him and Thornclaw. Shaking his head, he sighed. He couldn't change what had happened, he might as well try and move on.

* * *

Swiftfoot was barely holding his eyes open when Firestar padded up to the two toms.

"You may speak now. Your vigil is over."

Swiftfoot jumped to his paws and shivered. "Thank StarClan! It was _freezing_."

Thornclaw nodded in agreement, then padded past them and headed towards the warriors den. When he was gone, Firestar's eyes narrowed.

"Leafbare is approaching," he murmured.

The black-and-white tom nodded. "It is." Dipping his head respectfully, he turned away from Firestar and, without thinking, limped towards the apprentices den.

"Hey, Swiftfoot. Warriors den is over there." Fernpaw's voice alerted him, and he snapped his drooping eyes open to that the little gray cat was right.

Muttering a "Thanks Fernpaw," he turned around and stumbled into the warriors den. Swiftfoot saw an empty nest beside Thornclaw and collapsed into it, falling asleep instantly.

* * *

_Swiftfoot opened his eyes to find himself in a vast clearing, with four huge pine trees on the perimeter. In the center was a large boulder; Swiftfoot quickly recognized the place as Fourtrees._

"_What am I doing here?" he wondered, scanning the area for any signs of life. Suddenly there was flash of dazzling light, and the tom staggered backwards. The light soon faded, and he struggled to see past the black spots in his vision so he could figure out what had made the flash._

_When the spots were gone, he grumbled irritably. "What in StarClan's name was that about?"_

_Swiftfoot was thinking about attempting to leave when he heard another voice._

"_Hello?"_

_He froze, dropping into a crouch. He darted into the undergrowth at the base of trees, creeping around until he could see the other half of the rock. He soon saw a silver shape, realizing it was a cat._

_Stalking out of the bushes, he approached the cat. He quickly noticed her RiverClan scent, along with her sleek and shiny fur and plump belly._

"_What are you doing here?" Swiftfoot growled._

_The she-cat jumped into the air, obviously startled. She whipped around, her tail fluffed out. Her eyes were wide, and Swiftfoot was shocked at their brilliant blue color._

"_Who are you? This isn't an attack, is it?" she asked fearfully. Swiftfoot could barely answer as he stared into her eyes, which were flicking around the clearing. Finally, he looked away._

"_Relax. We're dreaming. I think StarClan brought us here."_

_The she-cat's fur smoothed out again, and even then Swiftfoot couldn't help but notice how unnaturally plumy it was._

"_Oh. I wonder why?" she thought aloud. "Anyways, you're from ThunderClan, right? What's your name? I'm Fea—"_

_A terrible creaking noise interrupted her. Her ears flattened, and Swiftfoot's eyes darted around the clearing, quickly realizing that the tree nearest to the two cats was slowly tilting towards them._

"_It's gonna fall!" the she-cat screeched. Terror flooded though every inch of the tom's body, along with the urge to protect this cat._

"_Hurry! Run!" Swiftfoot yowled, shoving her in front of him as they took off. The tree crashed to the ground where they had been standing only heartbeats before._

_Suddenly, the she-cat skidded to a halt and Swiftfoot barely had time to stop before he ran into her._

"_What are you doing?!" he shrieked._

"_They're falling! All of them!"_

"All _of them?!" Swiftfoot soon saw she was right; the other three pine trees were leaning towards the ground._

"_Onto the rock!" the tom commanded. The she-cat obeyed and dashed towards the Great Rock, scrambling to the top. Swiftfoot followed suit, and the two watched as the trees, one by one, crashed to the ground. The wind had picked up greatly, and sharp rain was falling._

"_We're going to die!" the she-cat cried, huddling beside him._

"_No!" Swiftfoot yowled, wrapping his tail protectively around her. "We can't die! This is only a dream!"_

_Suddenly a hoarse, hollow voice drowned out the sound of the wind and the falling trees._

"_Danger is coming to your Clans. You two must join together to stop it, or all of this will become reality."_

_Swiftfoot and the she-cat exchanged a confused and horrified look, and the sight of her sparkling blue eyes was the last thing he saw before a crack of lightning pierced the sky, and he fell into unconsciousness._


End file.
